Castle In Review: So Yeah, That Just Happened - and the Series Creator Explains Why

Just as ABC’s Castle ended its Season 3 finale with its titular novelist (played by Nathan Fillion) professing, “I love you” to Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the Season 4 premiere closed out with a game-changing three-word confession of its own.

“I remember everything.”

Yep, after claiming to Castle that she had no recollection of her shooting, let alone what happened or was said to her in the moments immediately afterward, Kate revealed to her psychiatrist (Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Michael Dorn) that she had been lying, and thus knows full well how Rick feels about her.

So why the cover-up? Why push Castle away for several months after the incident? During our visit to the Castle set, TVLine invited series creator Andrew W. Marlowe to answer those burning questions, and others.

TVLINE | Why did Beckett lie to Castle about remembering?
Being the kind of person she is, I think she’s not ready to deal with the emotional consequences of accepting what she heard. She has very strong feelings for Castle, which she recognizes but is concerned about acting on because she’s concerned about what it will do to their relationship. She’s also concerned that she’s at a point where she’s really fragile. She wants a real relationship, she doesn’t want to be a “conquest,” just another one of the many women he’s been with. She feels like he’s important in her life, and that she should be important in his — and she doesn’t trust that yet.

TVLINE | But they have these moments – like, in the hotel room in Los Angeles – where any two consenting adults would have simply gone for it and kissed already. What’s the danger?Well, have you ever been in love with somebody who you’re really good friends with? And you know it could all go bad?

TVLINE | Yes – and it did. [Laughs]See, there’s a lot at stake – basically their whole relationship — and I think there are some questions in her mind that are unsettled, about his life and his marriages… and about who she is and whether she’s ready for that relationship, for “The One.” She’s come to recognize that she has some work to do on herself before she can open up – and she is not by nature an open person, because of some of the things that have happened in her life.

TVLINE | In your mind, did Castle’s name come up in her breakup talk with Josh?I think that it came out of Josh’s mouth. I think that she tried keep it out of her mouth, but I’m pretty sure Josh mentioned it a number of times.

TVLINE | Nathan did a great job of making Castle appear positively crestfallen upon realizing his “I love you” fell on deaf ears. How quickly will he jump back in the game, if at all?The answer to that is in the [premiere], where she offers him hope. There’s subtext when she’s saying, “I’m not going to have the relationship I want to have until I solve my mother’s case.” And now we’re in a really interesting situation where he can’t let her look into it, because she’s going to be killed — that’s really the impediment here. That allows us to continue with the Beckett-and-Castle tension and playfulness as we’re moving forward. As you saw at the tail end, we had two very big revelations – that Castle was going to push forward on the [Johanna Beckett] case without her, and we get her admission that she remembers. They both have these enormous secrets from each other this season that hopefully will color and play into the subtext of everything we’re doing. If either of these secrets comes to light, the other party could see it as being a huge betrayal.

TVLINE | If Beckett ever learns that Castle purposely led her away from the case, she’s going to be pissed.And how do you think he’ll feel if he discovers that all this time she has known [what he said]?

TVLINE | See, that I think is more forgivable. She’s protecting her heart.
But what does she want? There’s a lot of fun material to be mined there.

TVLINE | So, given what she said, will Kate not be dating at all?
Uh…. I would not want to say no. I want the fans to tune in and see how we handle it. I make no grand pronouncements on either of them and their relationships. I know what our fans are investing in, and we want to be fair and honest with them and not frustrate them too much.

What did you think of the Castle premiere, and the double-barreled twist that is now keeping Rick and Kate apart? Sound off in Comments!

Since Montgomery’s friend’s name was Smith, I wonder if he is some kind of government spook. Especially as he was disguised as a doctor when Castle went to visit Kate. It would allow him to work outside of the police department.

Also, how great was Beckett’s dad when he told Josh and Castle to stop acting like children. Way to take command, dad!

Every single plot point was obvious (and laboriously set up) well before the reveal. Lots of shmaltzy melodrama. Lots of pointless plot contrivances (much like in the finale, where, if Kate had stayed with Montgomery, they could have just killed the killers… like Montgomery did by himself). Pointless tweaks to the group’s chemistry, which is one of the things Castle has always gotten right.

Sigh. I hope things will be better once they move back to crimes of the week. The mythology episodes for this show are too often poorly written.

I love all the twists. The emotion in the words said and unsaid played a major part in making this an excellent season opener. Castles’ family will play a major part in keeping him grounded as he slips into the obsession of finding the killer. I think there should be a date temptation for Castle. Maybe from someone who is pursuing him after he show at some celebrety function. He needs to get back to his lighter/playful side. This is to add some relationship tension with Kate.
I must agree with the others who wrote, I’m sick of Kate looking like she got off some model shoot.
Looking forward to an exciting season…

I think Beckett said what she had to so she could keep some distance between her and Castle. Afterall it seems like people who get too close to Kate either end up dead, hurt or leaving her. SO yeah…she wouldn’t want to risk putting Castle who she works with so closely in one of those catagories. I totally understand her as I totally understand why Castle is pushing forward with Kate’s mother’s murder alone. At some point, things will eventually come out and I’m afraid if it does then both of them might fall apart this time.

i found something amiss in the season premier. something about the chemistry between the lead players…hope they get it back on rail…and hope that the mom’s murder is not stretched to boredom ..like prison break.
However, great acting by nathan and stana at critical situations during the episode…

Duh because she doesn’t want to have a relationship with Castle untill she has solved her mother’s murder but will continue to have loveless relationships with people like Josh. And BTW the mother’s murder is getting way too old now. Andrew Marlowe wants the mother’s mother solved but not till season 6 or season 7 hence, no serious relationship till then. seriously WTF

TVLINE | But they have these moments – like, in the hotel room in Los Angeles – where any two consenting adults would have simply gone for it and kissed already. What’s the danger?

To Be honest we need to get good ratings for each episode and want to keep the viewers guessing will they or won’t they. When we release the promos we want the viewers to think that the relationship will move forward and when they actually see the epsidoe the viewers will turn out to be complete suckers.

TVLINE | In your mind, did Castle’s name come up in her breakup talk with Josh?

Who gives a f*** anyway it was done offline

TVLINE | Nathan did a great job of making Castle appear positively crestfallen upon realizing his “I love you” fell on deaf ears. How quickly will he jump back in the game, if at all?

The answer to that is in the [premiere], where she offers him hope. To be honest hope is all what castle has and untill we see a drop in the ratings we will try something like bait and switch tactic again to keep the viewers with the show. after all thats what we have been doing in entire season 3 and will continue to do so no matter what.

TVLINE | If Beckett ever learns that Castle purposely led her away from the case, she’s going to be pissed.

Thats exactly what we want. That was the whole reason for showing that so that by the end of season 4 the couple will be apart again and in season 5 they will come closer again. Again in season 5 we will have some bull**** reason to keep them apart by the end of season 5.

TVLINE | So, given what she said, will Kate not be dating at all?

Uh…. I would not want to say no. She will continue to have loveless relationships. Thats what the character of Beckett is turning out to be. Have loveless relationships and keep the main loving character away as much as possible.

I agree it is a train wreck. I feel right now that we being emotionally stunted to give Andrew what he wants—-not the fans or Stana for that matter. it is just idiotic that these two, in this day and age play these juvenile games. It is NOT indicative of solid relationships. GOod Lord——put them together instead of making them clowns—-emotionally blocked clowns.

My mother-in-law and I were crushed at the ending of Season 6. It will be just like “Who shot JR”. Is he or is he not in the car, who took him if he isn’t, what will happen to the wedding? It is a cliffhanger to say the least. We wanted to be able to see them get married. Since I know Nathan is signed for Season 7, I guess we’ll just have to wait to see what happened. It’s going to be a long, long summer!